Your NES Family Handbook

FAMILY HANDBOOK

2014-2015

Watercolor courtesy of Newfields artist, Donna Hoge

Your NES Family Handbook

We hope that you find this information guide very helpful as you develop an understanding of our school and our philosophy, structures and procedures, as well as our current practices and initiatives. There are sections written to address almost every information need. If we missed anything, please don’t hesitate to call or drop by at your convenience. You may also learn more about our school by accessing and exploring the SAU 16 website, www.sau16.org, and then using the link to our school website, nes.sau16.org, where you will find a wealth of school and classroom information. We hope that your reading of this document is meaningful and pleasurable.

Contents

Purpose Statements

Mission Statement

Philosophy

Letters

Newfields School Board

Newfields Parent Organization Co-Presidents

School Principal

General Information

Staff Roster

School Hours

Walking & Biking to School

Changes in Transportation Plans

Attendance Procedures

Tardiness

Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up Information

Parking at NES

Phone Directory / Email System

School Calendar

Family Vacation Policy

School Health Services

Medication Policy

Medication Form

When to Keep Your Child at Home

Medical Examination Form

Communications

Newsletters

Website

Phone System

Broadcast Email List

AlertSolutions Communication Service

Complaint Procedure

2014-2015 Initiatives at a Glance

Responsive Classroom

EveryDay Math

NES Literacy Program

Technology Integration

Response to Intervention including Differentiated Instruction

Academics

Curriculum Aligned to College Career Readiness Standards

Planning and Instruction

Assessment and Reporting

Homework

Student Services

Related Arts

Student Life

Lunch Service

NES School Library

School Apparel Recommendations

Toys and Electronics

Recess

Enrichment

School Climate and Student Safety

School Wide Expectations

Conduct at School

Bus Transportation

Emergency Preparedness

Parent Response to a Critical Incident

Parent and Community Involvement

Open School with Open Doors

Newfields Parent Teacher Organization

NPTO Volunteer Sub-committee

School and District Policies

Memorandum of Understanding

Pupil Safety and Violence Prevention Policy

Admission/Attendance of Non-Resident Students Policy

Age of Entrance Policy

Attendance, Tardiness, and Truancy Policy

Wellness, Nutrition, and Physical Activity Policy

Appropriate and Acceptable Computer, Network and Internet Use Policy

Video and Audio recording on School Buses Policy

School Administrative Unit #16 Policies / Civil Rights and Federal Policies (Separate Packet)

Purpose Statements

Mission Statement

The mission of the Newfields Elementary School is to encourage academic excellence in a nurturing environment where all individuals are valued intellectually, emotionally, artistically, socially and physically and are empowered to develop to their maximum potential so that they can make contributions to the global community.

Philosophy of Education

NEWFIELDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL COMMUNITY

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION

The Newfields School Community promotes the following Philosophy of Education as a guideline for parents, teachers, administrators and children in our cooperative search for academic excellence:

1.  The school shall provide an environment in which all individuals feel safe: physically, emotionally and intellectually.

2.  Each individual has ability, dignity and worth and, as such, shall be provided the opportunity and encouragement to develop his/her maximum potential in an environment which fosters academic excellence. Individual differences in intellectual, physical and emotional growth must be accommodated.

3.  The school environment shall be one in which mutual respect for all persons is nurtured to insure that all individuals are treated with fairness and dignity.

4.  The school shall empower and enable all individuals to foster self-discipline, ethical awareness, self-reliance, self-determination and accountability for one’s actions and independent thinking.

5.  The school shall support and encourage the alliance and interaction of administrators, children, the community-at-large, parents and teachers in a cooperative effort for the benefit of the school.

6.  The school shall become globally responsible and shall foster attitudes and actions in keeping with global citizenship.

7.  The school shall seek to foster in students of all ages a positive attitude toward lifelong learning.

Newfields School Board

Newfields School District

Newfields, NH (Policy Adopted: 2/11/91)

General Information

Staff Roster

A list of professional and support staff at NES, and their assignments for the coming year, may be found on the following attachment [See Insert.].

School Hours

Student Arrival Time 8:20 AM

School Begins 8:40 AM

(Students arriving after 8:40 AM will be considered tardy and must be signed in by a parent in the main office.)

Dismissal Bell for Walkers 3:00 PM

Student Pick ups 3:00 -3:10 PM

Busses Depart 3:10-3:15 PM

Walking and Biking to School

Students who walk or bike to school must have a permission slip signed by a parent or guardian on file in the NES Main Office. Walkers and bikers must arrive to school between 8:30 and 8:40. They must wait for adult assistance at the appropriate crossing in front of our school. Students who ride their bikes to school must get off and walk them onto and from school grounds. At the end of the day, walkers and bikers will be the first students called for dismissal. They will be escorted to the fire station and then crossed. Bikers may get onto their bikes when they are safely across the street.

Changes in Transportation Plans

If you intend to have your child(ren) take a different route home than usual, it is essential that you contact the school well in advance of dismissal on the day that the change is to occur. We strongly encourage you to send a note to school with your child on the morning of the change and remind your child to give the note to his/her teacher. In the event that this procedure is not possible, please call the main office and report the change to the school secretary. E-mailing a note to the school, either to the classroom teacher and/or the main office – at , early in the day of a change is also permissible. The end of the school day is very hectic. Please do not plan to call the school at that time.

Attendance Procedures

If a child is expected to be absent from school, please write a note to the school in advance or call our school (772-5555) before 8:40 AM so that the teacher and school office can be informed. In the event that the school does not receive notification of your child’s absence, a call will be made to your home or place of employment to verify the absence.

Tardiness

If a child arrives to school after 8:40 AM, a parent must sign the child in to school at the main office before the child proceeds to the classroom to begin the day’s activities.

Student Drop-Off/Pick-Up Information

Students who are dropped-off should arrive at school by 8:30 AM. We thank parents, in advance, for their ongoing patience, support, and care during this very busy time of our school day. As parents approach the school grounds they should watch for and anticipate student walkers and crossing guards. As they turn onto Monaghan Way, they should drive slowly around the school building and drop off their children in the drop-off zone at the main entrance doorway. Please pull to the front of the drop-off zone, if possible, before letting your children out of the car. They should get out of the car on the right side, closest to the school building. A staff member will be on hand to assist as necessary.

Parents picking their children up after school should do so from 3:05-3:15pm. The same advisories mentioned above will apply to student pick-up. As you enter onto school grounds, follow the same traffic pattern as in the morning and join the ‘end of the line’. The students will congregate outside of the main entrance doorway and await staff permission to approach your car. This allows us to safely send children out to your car as you pull into the pick-up zone and come to a stop. Staff will be on hand to assist as necessary.

Parking at Newfields Elementary School

Parking has long been a challenge for parents and staff alike at NES. If you are dropping material off for your child or have some other reason to anticipate a short stay at NES, you may park off the side of our driveway by the main entrance or alongside our driveway adjacent to the Monaghan property. For longer visits, we ask that you park in spaces located behind our building or across the street (Rt. 87) from the school. PLEASE DO NOT park in the few slots at the Newfields Fire Station or directly across from the upper parking lot driveway as busses can not negotiate the turn with vehicles parked there.

Phone Directory / Email System

Our school’s phone number is (603)-772-5555. The FAX number for NES is (603)-658-0401. Someone is almost always on hand to answer the phone during our school’s normal business hours (8:00am-4:00pm). If we don’t pick up the phone immediately, or if you call the school outside of the school business day, you will likely be directed to our school’s answering machine. Please leave a message indicating your name and phone number. Also, you may briefly state your business. We will call you back at the earliest possible moment. You can contact any staff member using our school’s email system. Staff email addresses are developed as follows: first initial, last name, @sau16.org. For example: Kate Segal is .

School Calendar

[See Insert.]

Family Vacation Policy

NEWFIELDS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

FAMILY VACATION POLICY

The staff at NES understands that there may be exceptional circumstances in which a family vacation plan may conflict with the Newfields school vacation schedule. Families going on vacation while school is in session must notify the principal and teachers in writing at least two weeks in advance of their planned vacation. The following responsibilities are outlined for parents, teachers and students to follow should this situation arise. Please remember that there is no substitute for your child’s classroom experiences. Although this vacation is unavoidable the parent, teacher and student will work together to make the transition back to school a successful experience for all.

PARENTS

Notify student’s teacher in writing two weeks prior to the absence from school.

Contact teacher directly to receive summary of topics that will be covered in class.

Oversee completion of required work by student.

TEACHERS

Provide to parent assessment of student’s quarterly progress across curriculum.

Provide topics that will be covered in class during absence.

STUDENTS

Turn in key assignments to teacher and have an understanding of topics covered in class.

Assume responsibility to complete all tests, quizzes and assignments upon return to school.

School Health Services

NES staffs a full time nurse who maintains health records, monitors students growth and development, administers medications, and cares for students if they suddenly fall ill or become injured and teaches health to all students.

Communication with the nurse: Please call, write an email () or send a note to the nurse (and teacher if appropriate) if there is anything that may be significant and effect your child’s day(s) at school. The information about your child’s needs may assist the nurse or teacher in helping your child with a difficult day/ problem/ concern. Some information may be quite private. Please let us know how this sensitive information might (or might not) be shared, to both maximize your child’s safety and provide the best experience at school.

Absence: If your child will be tardy or must miss school, please call the school before school begins. As soon as attendance is taken, a staff member will contact a parent to account for the whereabouts of that child to ensure his/her safety. The school nurse tracks certain contagious illnesses for the health and safety of the whole school. Please indicate the nature of the illness in your message to the school or email Ms. Bird at .

Emergency contact numbers: Please notify Mrs. Johnson in the main office or Ms. Bird in the health office of any changes in your home, work, or cellular contact phone numbers or any of your emergency contact persons’ numbers. We must be able to contact you or someone who can take responsibility for your child should the need arise.

Illness or significant injury:

·  Sometimes, in the early morning, it is difficult to tell if your child is ill enough to stay home. Generally speaking, if a child has a fever or is vomiting during the previous night or that morning, he/she should stay home. If a practitioner has prescribed an antibiotic for some infectious process, check with the practitioner concerning when the child may return to school (usually 24 hrs. after the first dose of medication). Let us know if there are any instructions for the health office to manage the resolution of the infection safely.

Other reasons to keep your child at home:

o  diarrhea

o  croupy, persistent cough that can’t be controlled with or without medication

o  grey/green mucous of cough or nasal discharge

o  impetigo (until treated / cleared for return to school by practitioner)

o  strep throat (until treated / cleared for return to school by a practitioner)

·  Sometimes a child has to come to school with a resolving injury. Please contact the nurse

and /or the school administration to outline the nature of your child’s injury and to explain his/her

needs.

·  Recess and PE are an important part of the elementary school student’s physical and social education. Students are expected to go out for recess or participate in PE. A note from the doctor or a parent is needed if the child is restricted from these activities.

New medical conditions, medications or allergies: It is extremely important that you keep the nurse informed at the beginning of and throughout the school year of medical needs or concerns of your child.

Medications: In general, it is best if medications are administered outside of school hours. Medications that are administered during the school day must, by NH law, be brought in by a responsible adult, in its original container. The medicine must be accompanied by a note from the parent or guardian that will include a dated signature by the parent/ guardian. The note will include the name of the medication, the time it is to be given, the dose and route (by mouth, topical etc.) to be given, and the problem that the medication is treating (strep throat infection, headache pain etc.). Any allergies to medications should be listed. If the medication is a prescription medication, a practitioner’s order with the same information is required. Each school year requires a new set of parent signatures and MD orders even if the medication to be given is the same as the one given in the previous year.